Sacramento daily record-union., 1887-08-12
CONCERNING CHINATOWN.

CONCERNING CHINATOWN.
The Citizens Association, by its Execu-
tive Committee, has unanimously resolved
to advise and request the City Trustees to
proceed for the condemnation of the two
half blocks from ! street. between Third
and Fifth streets, northward, for the pur-
pose Of securing the filling of the slough
and the establishment in the open space or
park, thus to he made, of central mar
ket. This is the plan suggested by the
REoRp-U MON and explained several
times in detail in this Journal 1t has
been tried elsewhere, and successfully, and
Is demanded by the needs of the citv.
Ninety per cent. of the fruit and produce
shipments eastward from California con-
centrate here and go out from Sacramento,
yet the conyenienees for the shippers are
not what they ought to be, nor what the
railroad company is anxious to supply, nor
to properly encourage the business. But
there is now no room available for the Law
ing OF more tracks, nor is there now any
means Of getting enough shipping plat
forms and cars together to accommodate
shippers without delay The plat sought
to be condemned will afford all the desired
room and enable cars in quantity to be
brough. to the edge Of platforms sufficiently
extensive to accommodate all shippers for
many years to come. Here, too will con-
gregate the local produce growers, who are
now forced to occupy in the early morning
hours the chief thoroughfare of the city,
Ia the region Of its intersection with Third
street. Coal, ice and wood are now of ne
cessity unloaded in the center of | street
from cars, and at great inconvenience to
the dealers and the carriers, and the former
are compelled to wait sometimes for DAYS
before they can get at the cars on that
street. But In the new market tract there
will be room for hundreds of cars, and not
an hours delay, after arrival, will then oc-
cur in loading or unloading On this
plat, too, will assemble sellers of hay.
wood, grains and fruit, with their goods,
and around the plat will consequently
grow Up large local business, before the
hustle and push of which the exclusive
and herding Chinese win give way. They
cannot remain, for the whole atmosphere
OF the place will be antagonistic to their
habits and social system The new
market place will work the utter
abolition of that noissome nui-
sance, the offensive Chinatown, which
Is constant reproach to the CITY,
and ip the eyes of strangers does us in
calcuiabie harm. The cost of the condem-
nation and filling will not be heavy in the
light Of the great benefits to result On
the contrary, the gain to the city will far
outweigh the financial question involved.
The whole question must be submitted
to vote Of the people, and that should
be done very soon; next month, indeed.
and the affirmative should be carried
unanimously. A special election will cost
the city less than $50 At such an
election the question will stand ont free
Tree from party involvement and candi-
dates ambitions. There can be no trad
Ing, anc the matter viii lee voted upon in
telligently. If submitted at political
election, expression on the proposition is
certain to be neglected by a large number
OF voters, and purpesely involved and
traded upon by still larger class. There
Is no need to wait to search titles to ascer
tam who are owners of the land That
can be done after election as well as before
for i the proposition should by any
possibility be defeated, the cost of an alb
stract OF title will thus be saved. What
ever is done in the matter should be en-
tered upou now, and the submission made
to the people within few weeks There
Is nothing to be gained by waiting, but
much &c be lost. OF course objection will
arise; Of course the backward looking
men will interpose with all manner of
technical antagonisms. Of course the
men who believe in well enough will vote
no. But these are few, and happily
diminishing rapidly by conversion to pro-
gressive ideas